It wasn’t long before the six team members were hurried onto the armoured transports as the molten wreck of the gun-platform smouldered and sputtered. The black smoke rose ominously as the heavy, thudding footsteps and crumbling of enormous trees continued. Something massive was nearing – a vague shape throughout the treeline, glanced by the Dolsilvec troopers as their weapons tracked the enormous shadowy outline of its movements and the vegetation that crunched and tumbled in its wake. Lesser infantry would’ve long since opened fire – their missile launchers and high output beam guns would’ve made short work of most but the peace they maintained, perfunctory as it was, still had its value. One of the troopers gestured off to another standing by a series of boxy, bumpy protrusions emerging from a pod-like object out of which a cluster of jagged, pointed antennae. The equipment operator nodded, punching a few buttons. 

As one of the troopers reached into their cargo components, passing what looked like a malleable plastic bag of rehydrating fluid-gel, he paused to look through the still open door. The pointed antennae began to shudder like insect legs of some chirping, squeaking species and a piercing, sharp whine began to fill the air. For a second one would think it was drowning out the stomping of the unseen juggernaut but in reality but its steps had slowed, from lurching crunching stomps to a slow scraping, drag against the forest floor. That would be difficult to hear with the sudden static buzz creeping through the Sect-team’s coms and the trooper attempting to help Buerra. He fumbled, nearly dropping the package as he shut off his coms momentarily, mumbling an apology as he passed the refreshing package. It was as if the weather has worsened abruptly or some sort of interference was directly targeting them – the other Dolsilvec troopers had had the fortune to have disabled theirs earlier avoid the annoyance. Only the shrill voice of the jamming device continued before its pointed tips began to slide back into its body and its dense body was picked up and hauled back into one of the APC’s.

“[color=f7941d]Tempting to hang you outside like cargo but no,[/color]” Yrilovan replied to as he stood at the middle, one of his arms grasping handles on the ceiling of the vehicle’s interior. “[color=f7941d]There isn’t even [i]enough[/i] of you to use as reactive armour.[/color]”

The rest of the troopers didn’t seem to move but the heads of a few shook and bobbled somewhat – faint laughter audible behind their visors, slightly glowing as the lights flickered and the interior darkened. The doors were quickly closing but before they had done so, the vehicles were already moving, rumbling over the hilled ground and through the streets of Kerovnia.

In the close quarters of the armoured personnel carriers, the team was able to get a closer look at their newfound allies. They were Dolsilvec troopers and beyond Yrilovan, there didn’t seem to be other celaderaka. For eyes adapting to lower light conditions, their visors weren’t completely opaque. Faces could be seen behind the tinted glass, some eyeless and veiny eyeless masses above jagged teeth and others clearly human. They were professional soldiers –selectively kitted firearms, well-kept armour devoid of scratches or cannibalized parts, and a number of bandoliers, pouches, and blade-sheaths across their bodies. For a Regimist troopers at this stage of the conflict, they were considerably more well supplied than most.

The one who had passed Paris the gel-pack sat back and crossed and tapped his foot, giving a quizzical look at the air that blurred through his ventilation. 

“[color=f7941d]Is that Pact equipment? You were clearly in the shitter if you were drafted into their schemes.[/color]” He commented almost casually. His voice had been filtered through a masking device – it grated and grinded, the words tinged with metallic edge and tone. “[color=f7941d]I have served with them before, joint operations before they decided to play kingmaker with different generals here on Chalgheol – hardy people but I wonder how they have survived this long, scraping by with designs as primitive and factory-pumped as their personalities.[/color]”

Given the lumbering size of his armour, it was difficult for it not to catch the attention of the squad of comparatively smaller humanoids. Vin’s appearance however, was not lost on them either. His armour hid his voidhanger characteristics but it wasn’t through visual cues that the tarrhaidimg trooper’s featureless head seemed to scan him, tinted a sickly bluish green through its visor.

It raised one of its long, gloved fingers and tapped against its other arm, cranking its back and forth in rigid, robotic motions – its fingers all moving independently, mimicking the jointed limbs of factory-based manufacturing robots as they tapped and scratched against its padding-armoured limb.

The voidhanger would be able to detect the readings of a scan passing over his body – his synthetic arm was being scanned, analysed, and a tinge of ether was detected in the air, emerging from the tarrhaidim. Across from him on the opposite corner of the APC, one of the humans had turned his visor towards him, analysing the complex electronics of his prosthetic limb or at least trying to. 

The tarrhaidim sititng directly across from him leaned forward, its crag-mouth full of grotesque teeth somehow not moving as it spoke – a gargled series of wet, frothing gurgles thankfully partially muted through its speakers. Vin’s programs would be able to roughly translate what he was saying.

[Tarrhaidim] “[color=f7941d]Paid well, yes? Your arm – my friend likes it.[/color]” He gestured off with a nod towards the human then looked back to Vin, “[color=f7941d]Voidhanger, adventurous, maybe too much. I thought prosthetics killed you – your body hates all things not touched by Abzu. Well dressed – not guerilla yes? So many of you, little more than flies following the excrement-reek from the Traitor-Armies, I would think like regressions of humanity rather than evolutions.[/color]”

He paused to make a particularly unpleasant slurping sound, slowed down as if being digitally processed. A few more followed him, joined by humans grunting and cursing in agreement.

As the trip dragged on, Yrilovan turned to Linus, his gaze tangible through the steely orange visor. The Laguna operative was the only other celaderaka he noticed sent alongside them.

[Celderakan] “[color=f7941d]I hope Laguna pays you enough to be their attack dog.[/color]” He commented without even looking at Linus, causing a few of his subordinates to abruptly quiet themselves or switch to their private com channels. “[color=f7941d]I remember you – not that we met, but I saw you on our drone feeds once, aerial reconnaissance over one of the smaller towns. That was you, on that rescue operation, wasn’t it? You fight well, even when near death’s doorsteps. Your clan hierarchs back in the *Bindarang Perhungan would have granted you great gifts for bravery, perhaps breeding stock too for the continuation of bloodline, something the rest of the rebel upstarts have discarded. Certainly more than what another independent militia can scrounge up. Did you even have proper doctors?[/color]”

[center]+++[/center]

Over in another APC, the other voidhanger was drawing some strange looks. An onlooker wouldn’t be able to tell but peeking in on their com channels or amplifying the sound of whispers between a few of them and it was clear that some of the Dolsilvec troopers had doubts about the second voidhanger being with them – one whose armour was clearly that of an infiltrator.

“[color=f7941d]Probably some pirate, no, a thief and an infiltrator. There is a market for void-snakes like them.[/color]” One of them, a prosthetic-eyed human, murmured quietly over a seemingly-closed coms channel to his compatriot as he glanced at Silver. “[color=f7941d]I was with exospace marines, half of our job was dealing with these cockroaches. Their fleet elders were always crowding around our space stations stations and begging for work and rent, but it is these marauders they always hide amongst their own that first to slip a knife in your back the second you reached over to hand the contract. That is how we got into hostage scenarios, when t-[/color]”

“[color=f7941d]Oi, you a privateer?[/color]” Another human called out, turning off his voice filter to address Silver loud and clear. “[color=f7941d]Real nice suit ya got my friend, piece it together yourself or snatch it off some convoy huh? Don’t try and get away and say you’re homo-sapien, everyone felt that abzu-tinge once you walked into the vehicle and I know that isn’t just qillatu residual.[/color]”

He stopped rather abruptly, one of the tarrhaidim grabbing his shoulder and shaking him. He didn’t need to say why, simply giving the lumbering Zsresrinn and the austere Corsica a quick glance.

“[color=f7941d]Probably friends – detritus eater and detritus dweller…[/color]” The tarrhaidim murmured in English as quietly as possible, his voice abruptly raising as he turned to Corsica, reddish ocular veins visible through its visor at it glared at her. “[color=f7941d]That Nova-Pura-Shithole lady though? I bet even they don’t like her. Sadistic terrorists, burn a whole hospital down, just to knock off some no-name bio-con…[/color]”

They sat down, keeping their hand gripped tight on his rifle. Yet the fungoid wasn’t done yet.

“[color=f7941d]Answer me, you brain-dead cunt. I know you're listening in, fucking garbage in biped form, how you get treated as a protected religious organization in some systems before going off to lynch some nobodies on some impoverished backwater huh? Go on and explain how killing off photosynthesizer-power plants is supposed to protect us, when you aren’t lynching our sporelings for having 1% too many foreign biomass augs. Maybe you just like the thrill or your high priest unzips first before they let you-[/color]“

This time, one of his squadmates audibly smacked him in the gut, drawing a growl as he doubled over before he stopped, but not before looking over to Zsresrinn. 

[color=f7941d]“I know you probably think us Dolsilvecs are a bunh of washed-up has-beens holding onto tatters you crusty lump, but trust me, this pyro-twat will stick that gun barrel to the back of your skull the second those next-gen bioweapons of yours lead to mass produced augs in a few months if you’re stuck with us for that long. Mark my words, the Sect doesn’t mean shit to them.”[/color]

[Center]+++[/Center]

As the banter continued, the convoy began to slow. A few of the soldiers involved would begin to draw away from whatever was being conversed as Yrilovan opened the door to the driver’s section, exchanging a few difficult words to make out. It was like this for a few minutes with the gun turrets able to be heard rapidly swiveling as opposed to the slow, pleasantly subtle drone of their movement earlier while the convoy was moving more rapidly. The APC convoy was slowing down Yrilovan stepped back out, looking over at his squad and then Linus, Paris, and Vin. 

“[color=f7941d]We’re getting out. This is the location but the terrain is a bit rough. Once your friends arrive to link up with you, we’re done here as far as I’m concerned.[/color]” He stepped forward as the door lowered, a pair of large PDW-sized blaster-cannons in each hand. The rest of the troops filed out rapidly, all the raunchiness and roughness replaced with cold, steel-eyed militancy as they swept around the area. 

The other three APC’s fanned out, spreading out as their contents disembarked and began to sweep out to secure the area around a small power-generator of some sort next to a tall column-structure with the segmented build of something almost like a human spine. Vegetation had crept into its crevices and along the flat surfaces of the generator but there were few signs of habitation. 


[Center][hider=Location Appearance]
[img]https://i.ibb.co/PrVsJNn/outpost-29-by-gamka-dc2aqem.jpg[/img]
[/hider][/Center]


Quickly, the Dolsilvec Regime infantry began to spread out, their weapons hunting for any sign of movement as they surrounded the spinal-structure and the generator, falling into a layered defensive circle around the convoy. The APC’s had moved off near the sides, partially concealed by a few old, collapsed trees and heavy foliage. Only the tips of their barrels graced the edges of the treeline.

A waterfall could be seen a few metres off to the back, its top scoured by one of the vehicle’s turrets before it froze on a certain spot on. A few of the troops abruptly called it out, transmitting to the target location to the east of the waterfall. Just a few feet away, a few figures could be seen moving through a gap in the treeline, framed amongst the dense green in their armour and fatigues. They wore green cloaks, long rifles peeking out from underneath, and their circular goggles gave them the appearance of a semi-insectoid biped, even if they appeared to be human themselves.

They waved to the Dolsilvecs, revealing more of their colours – the lighter Kevlar-esque armour and relatively less outlandish rifles were the calling signs of their military. A few more turrets swivelled and the sound of crunching footsteps and the distant treads of more vehicles followed. The soldiers turned sharp to see another two APC’s enter, flanked by soldiers in bulkier fully form-protecting armour.


[Center][hider=Appearance of approaching infantry]
[img]https://i.ibb.co/qN2mRhw/warboys-by-sttheo-d9cu314-fullview.jpg[/img]
[/hider][/Center]


Yrilovan motioned to them and walked forwards a few steps, stopping by the generator as he raised his palm. A few of the others had their rifles raised half-cautiously – there was always the chance for defector divisions, especially those that counted themselves amongst not only the Carnazir but the League and the Pact as well. 

They weren’t Sect troopers from what anyone could see. That wasn't the armour type.

Yrilovan simply stood there, his hand raised as some sort of digital communication was exchanged. Peeking into his suit systems, they were a series of scans, checking registries, armour insignia, and cross-referencing databases. The gulf between the two groups was large and it was clear that there was a tension between them.

One of the troopers next to Zsresrinn nudged the insect, partially shielding herself with their huge body.

“[color=f7941d]Are they yours? We were told it would be Sect who would be coordinating.[/color]” She asked, looking off to a few others who had been quietly spreading out. A few of the turrets had turned away from those by the waterfall… but they hadn’t exactly stopped facing them either.  

One of the troopers, the tarrhaidim who’d been speaking to Silver earlier, tapped the voidhanger on the shoulder. His coms were off and he whispered to the post-human.

“[color=f7941d]Don’t you think it’s a little odd their scouts simply hailed us like that? No radio signals, nothing? They just popped up out of the woods and rolled in, not even in their APC’s.[/color]”

One of the other tarrhaidim, the same one that had been angrily trading at Corsica earlier, could subtly be seen slipping into some of the bushes. He had a launcher, underslung on his rifle, and was busy changing out the munition type. A dull green HE shell was exchanged for another – white tipped and with a warning sign showing a sphere fragmenting into countless smaller ones. 

That’s when Yrilovan, still communicating with the approaching Dolsilvecs, abruptly requested a com channel to the Sect squad, buzzing to their coms.

-- [color=f7941d]My on-board AI is handling it but I need you all to come clean. Just who were you told you were meeting up with? We were under the impression you would be briefed when here but another Dolsilvec team? We weren’t told about that.[/color] –

It seemed at least, that some progress was being made. A figure emerged from the back of one of the APC’s as the standoff seemed to end – wearing the same armour type as Yrilovan but a bit smoother and denser – its mouth visible and based on the rough, fleshy gnarliness it was a tarrhaidim. The armoured troops were casually walking forth as Yrilovan waved off at his squad, causing them to loosen up as the groups convened around the area. 

-- I[color=f7941d] don’t have much time – that’s their leader walking out. He’s from a fortress-battalion just a few clicks away from Kerovnia, I’ve served with him before, but I wasn’t told anything about him joining us. Something has changed or someone else knows.[/color] --

And it was a rather tall Tarrhaidim too – one with a large sheathed blade against its hip, easily a few inches taller than Linus and grinning from side to side. A jovial grin really, one that seemed rather at ease. The tall fungoid moved toward to shake hands with Yrilovan as the armoured troopers strolled through the settlement, exchanging pleasantries with their comrades.

If they all looked over to near the waterfall, the cloaked scout troopers had begun leaving, beginning to visually melt into the woods as they moved on ahead. 

The huge leader of this small platoon however, didn’t spend long with his celaderaka counterpart, moving towards the Sect team.

“[color=f7941d]I apologize for not getting here earlier – we were bogged down as we got here.[/color]” He spoke, taking a short bow and muttering something in tarrhaidim under his breath. What could be made out seemed to be a prayer of some sort – “spore moon” was mentioned. “[color=f7941d]The Sect contacted us a few hours ago. We were told to secure a rendez-vous point in the woods, just a few clicks away from Kerovnia. Scenic place – enough that we decided we didn’t mind going on foot given the relative closeness. We have trundled along inside those transports for weeks. A hike does a soldier good.[/color]”

He paused for a moment, looking over at the mismatched group of soldiers before back at Yrilovan.

“[color=f7941d]Yrilovan, he hasn’t told you too much hasn’t he? I don’t blame him. Top secret Sect happenings correct? It is not for my non-existent nose to poke into.[/color]” He chuckled, looking over towards Paris, pausing for a few moments before looking over at Corsica. 

“[color=f7941d]Interesting party you have. Usually they…[/color]” He paused for a few moments, turning his head towards Zsresrinn. “[color=f7941d]Oh? Just one? You are from… Ugnost, was it? I’ve heard of you – my, marvellous specimen you are. I had heard of a vrexul or two being assigned to look after a few of our remaining assets. Momentous occasion truly, if you were reassigned from that.[/color]”

Yrilovan could be speaking with a few of the soldiers and while his body language was calm, something about the troops seemed to be tense. One of them was gesturing at him, fist raised and moving it against his palm and another was pointing out to a few dirt paths through the woods, leading up towards hillier terrain. 

The tall celaderaka however, could very faintly be heard. He wasn’t quite shouting but he was talking loudly. His voice was masked by his armour’s speakers, blurring it partially to the extent it couldn’t be made out from the current distance of the Sect squad.

Another group of them were chatting with the troopers near the back of one of the APC’s – one was occupying the driver on the side with chat and cigarettes as another slipped in and out of it quickly, waving at his squad-mate before moving to the generator, poking around the small communication module to its right as he stood on its moss-covered steps. 

Yrilovan’s head turned towards the Sect members before he went back seemingly to arguing with the Dolsilvec troopers. One of them had a long white axe in his hands, tapping it against the ground. 

“[color=f7941d]How rude of myself to come in unannounced and unaccounted for on another note,[/color]” The tarrhaidim commander continued. “[color=f7941d]Gourlan Karzai – section commander for the local Sprawls’ mountain base. Not much of it now – this here is a backwater. I’m rather envious of Yrilovan – he was assigned to one of the more exciting theatres, only pulled over here a few weeks back. He never did tell me what he was preparing for during the strategic meetings but the ‘draka knows how to present a surprise no?[/color]”

As he spoke, there was a very slight smell to him that wasn’t quite fungoid earthiness. It was an odd mix of something metallic and burnt. It was clear he had seen combat before – old blastmarks on his armour and a few residual burns along his backside but they seemed fairly old. Some of the splotches seemed to fade into his faded if rough, segmented armour. 

“[color=f7941d]You wouldn’t happen to be carrying any additional ammo by the way, would you?[/color]” He asked to Paris. “[color=f7941d]You look like someone who prefers their calibres more substantial. We barely had time when we were called out to properly resupply after our last patrol – chop chop, we were told, and before we knew it, we were proudly now under the command of the Sect.[/color]”

He continued to grin, his teeth almost human if not for the almost shark-tooth like appearance and the fact he didn’t seem to have a tongue in there.

Yrilovan was turning away from those he was conversing with, walking quickly to one of the APC’s but he turned around the corner of the generator and back towards a different APC, then towards some foliage. The foliage one the tarrhaidim trooper who’d been changing his grenade launcher had been hiding in – now sitting about, appearing to be simply maintaining his rifle.

He seemed to be trying to hide momentarily – the rest of his squads were conversing with the armoured troopers, who hadn’t seemed to catch sight of him as he walked off. 

Yet he wasn’t opening his private channel either. 

A few of them could be seen moving to the river, soaking up their canteens with water but if one listened very closely, there was a sizzling sound. Some of them stood guard, partially blocking their sight as the others momentarily dunked their gear into the water, scrubbing them off and washing off anything that might have gotten stuck on them. A bit of steam could be seen rising, almost like smoking barrels as they stepped in. 

It appeared to have been a busy day for both groups.


[hider=Footnote]
*In English, this translates to the Blood Star Nexus. It is the name for the collection of the worlds the celaderaka originate from.
[/hider]